I feel that, contrary to popular belief, two things killed EQ.
1) Instances. This means LDoN, not Luclin or PoP. While PoP and Luclin may have been where people started to point fingers, the mass exodus didn't start until after LDoN, GoD, etc.
2) World of Warcraft. The rise in popularity of an easymode, do everything on your own MMORPG attracted millions upon millions of people. EQ decided to alienate their original player base and try to do what WoW had already done, hence the implementation of instances. The problem with this, is that WoW was already doing it, and doing it much better on a much bigger scale.
Did people dislike the bazaar? Obviously. Did people dislike translocators and PoK books? No question. These weren't back breaking features, they were merely the beginning of the end. They were the start of an easier EQ. It was still a pain in the ass to go from Kaladim to Lake of Ill Omen. Just not an hour time-sink pain in the ass. Anyone who pretends the corpse run from Firiona Vie after dying in Sol B at efreeti or FGs is fun, and what makes EQ fun is masochistic. The fact is, EQ was getting bigger and bigger. If easier means of transportation weren't provided, you'd have continents off of Odus and Faydwer. You would be taking boats to take boats to take boats to get where you wanted to level. You'd have to come home after working 10 hours, only to escape in to a video game where all you'd do all night is take boats for that night and hope that tomorrow you can get your mindless grind on after begging someone to bind you!
I understand that people didn't like Luclin and PoP. I understand why. I just hope you all understand that some sort of change was inevitable. The books made an immersive, amazingly large fantasy world seem much smaller. But, the books didn't kill EQ, time did. Over exposure did. It'll lead to the end here, just as it led to the end there. How long can top end raid guilds really enjoy this raid scene? It's much more grotesque to me then PoK books. Good day, sirs.
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